2020 Phenology Calendar Gichi-Manidoo-Giizis (January) Namebini-Giizis (February) Great Spirit Moon Sucker Moon Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 1
ermines are active 5 6 7 8 9 10 Full Moon 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
first day above freezing first rain albino buck spotted gray squirrels begin (2018—Bayfield, WI) (2018—Bayfield, WI) beavers begin mating (2017—near Ashland, WI) red foxes begin mating wolves begin mating mating 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 Full Moon 10 11 12 13 14 15
crows yelling like crazy robins spotted in sugarbush (2019—Ashland, WI) (2018—Red Cliff, WI) 19 20 21 22 23 24 New Moon 25 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
high of 57° bat flying around (2017—Ashland, WI) first day above freezing wasp spotted on sidewalk on ski trails first arrival of robins (2018—Shell Lake, WI (2017—Odanah, WI) (2016—Ironwood, MI) coyotes begin mating (2018—Duluth, MN) & Brampton, MI) 26 27 28 29 30 31 23 New Moon 24 25 26 27 28 29
striped skunk seen great horned owls begin (2016—White River Flowage, WI) barred owls begin hooting hooting & claiming polar vortex three trumpeter swans dead skunk on highway chickadees singing bear cubs born & claiming territories territories (2019—Upper Midwest) (2018—Hayward, WI) deer shed antlers (2016—Odanah, WI) (2018—Bayfield, WI)
Onaabani-Giizis (March) Iskigamizige-Giizis (April) Hard Crust on the Snow Moon Maple Sugar Moon Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4
ice out dates: April 6, 2018 (Duluth, MN) April 22, 2018 (Bad River, WI) first mourning cloak first crusty snow first snow fleas Canada geese spotted first robin bald eagles on breeding thunderstorm May 8, 2018 (Shell Lake, WI) butterfly ravens nesting (2018—Shell Lake, WI) (2018—Bayfield, WI) (2018—Ashland, WI) (2018—Shell Lake, WI) grounds and courting (2019—Mellen, WI) watch for ice out on lakes May 1, 2019 (Big Dunham Lake, WI) walleye spawning (2018—Bayfield, WI) 8 9 Full Moon 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 Full Moon 8 9 10 11
first red-winged blackbird (2016—Benoit, WI) great blue heron flying bat out feeding through a snowstorm song sparrows during day (2016—Hayward, WI) (2016—Mason, WI) (2018—Duluth, MN) LCO opened first starlings arrive look for deer ticks as cardinals arrive eagle building nest flock of robins sandhill cranes return snow buntings spearing lakes goldfinches turned yellow average spearing opener end of maple sap season turkey vulture first night above freezing (2018—Bayfield, WI) soon as the snow melts (2018—Bayfield Peninsula, WI) (2016—Washburn, WI) (2016—Mason, WI) (2016—Prentice, WI) moving north (2016—Hayward, WI) (2018—Saginaw, MN) 1988-2015 (2018—Brampton, MI) (2018—Benoit, WI) (2018—Duluth, MN) 15 16 17 18 19 Spring Equinox 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
maple sap starts flowing: February 21, 2016 (Mason, WI) first bluebirds March 5, 2017 (Mason, WI) (2016—Marengo, WI) first loon February 28, 2018 (Brampton, MI) (2016—Spider Lake, WI) March 26, 2018 (Saginaw, MN) last snow before summer April 11, 2018 (Ishpeming, MI) first mourning dove snowshoe hare coats eagles mating red maple buds swelling 36 inches of snow! (2018—Shell Lake, WI & juncos back maple sap begins to flow March 11, 2019 (Ashland, WI) (2018—Bayfield, WI) begin to turn brown (2018—Chippewa Flowage, WI) (2015—Ashland, WI) loons arrive (2018—Ishpeming, MI) Brampton, MI) (2018—Bayfield, WI) 22 23 24 New Moon 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 New Moon 23 24 25
first butterfly (2018—Duluth, MN) first tick first dragonfly first spider outside (2018—Bayfield, WI) (2018—Shell Lake, WI) (2018—Duluth, MN) sugar maple flowering male red-winged woodpeckers drumming hail first robins violets in yard last snow before summer first night above freezing first red-winged blackbird ruby-crowned kinglets early leek growth wolf pups born woodcocks peenting blackbirds return (2018—Bayfield, WI) (2019—Penokee Range, WI) (2018—Siren, WI & Bayfield, WI) (2015—Ironwood, MI) (2018—Saginaw, MN) (2018—Brampton, MI) (2018—Shell Lake, WI) arrive fiddleheads emerge wood frogs calling 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 first canoe crow carrying nesting (2018—Totogatic Lake, WI) material first flowers on trees (2016—Mellen, WI) (red maple) bloodroot begins first wildflowers (2018—Shell Lake, WI) northern white cedar blooming flowering chipmunk spotted grouse drumming yellow-rumped warblers blooming (dandelion) hermit thrush singing first spring peepers (2019—Odanah, WI) (2016—Ino, WI) sandhill cranes arrive trout lily leaves emerge return (2018—Shell Lake, WI) (2019—Barksdale, WI) (2018—Bayfield, WI)
Waabigwanii-Giizis (May) Ode’imini-Giizis (June) Flower Moon Time for Picking Strawberry Moon Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 Full Moon 6
deer fawns spotted: June 1, 2015 (Bad River, WI) first flowering trees— May 28, 2016 (Mason, WI) quaking aspen May 24, 2017 (Marengo, WI) (2018—Rice Lake, WI) May 30, 2017 (Ashland, WI) watch for nesting watch for newborn May 23, 2018 (Ishpeming, MI) end of maple sap season leatherwood blooming raspberry plants flowering buck with antlers starting watch for turtles laying deer fawns June 15, 2018 (Brampton, MI) (2018—Saginaw, MN) (2019—Mason, WI) (2018—Siren, WI) (2016—Mason, WI) eggs songbirds 3 4 5 6 7 Full Moon 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 house wrens back (2018—Washburn, WI) first woodcock first firefly dates: mating call common loon spotted May 27, 2015 (Marengo, Lac du (2018—Saginaw, MN) (2016—Twin Bear Lake, Delta, WI) willows leafed out Flambeau, & Ashland, WI) (2016—Marengo, WI) June 29, 2017 (Mason, WI) mole running in circles leaves out on apple, snow/sleet, & songbirds first fiddleheads June 6, 2018 (LCO, WI) fox kits in backyard birch, serviceberry, plum house wren singing singing! harvested labrador tea blooming June 30, 2018 (Cornucopia, WI) strawberries ripen (2018—Bayfield, WI) (2015—Ashland, WI) (2016—Marengo, WI) (2015—Washburn, WI) (2019—Ashland, WI) (2018—Shell Lake, WI) loon chicks hatch (2018—Delta, WI) watch for fireflies July 12, 2019 (Ashland, WI) (2015—Ashland, WI) 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Summer Solstice end of maple sap season frogs changed their tune (2018—Ishpeming, MI) so sturgeon are spawning first canoe first grouse drumming (2018—Hinckley, MN) first thunderstorm (2018—Ishpeming, MI) (2018—Shell Lake, WI) (2018—Bayfield, WI) trillium blooming popple leaves the size of first hummingbird Eastern meadowlark fiddleheads first suckers running beaver ears serviceberry in bloom sandhill crane chicks hawkweed blooming woodcock chicks (2016—Marengo, WI) tiny loon chick! (2016—Mason, WI) (2016—Mason, WI) starflower blooming (2018—Ishpeming, MI) (2018—Shell Lake, WI) (2018—Bayfield, WI) (2019—Herbster, WI) (2019—Manitowish Waters, WI) (2018—Siren, WI) (2019—Spider Lake, Ino, WI) 17 18 19 20 21 22 New Moon 23 21 New Moon 22 23 24 25 26 27
first new needle growth strawberry flowering on trees first tick first dragonfly (2018—Brampton, MI) (2018—Ishpeming, MI) dates: (2018—Brampton, MI) May 5, 2015 (Mason, WI) first leeks harvested apple blossoms are out bracken fern beginning last frost before summer May 12, 2016 (Odanah, WI) late frost deer flies start (2018—Ishpeming, MI) (2015—Moquah, WI) to unfurl (2018—Duluth, WI) strawberry flowering May 31, 2017 (Ashland, WI) (2018—Brampton, MI) blue flag iris blooming (2019—Mellen, WI) 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 starflower & gaywings blooming (2015—Lake Namekagon, WI)
yarrow & wild chamomile 31 yellow swallowtail flowering first dragonfly monarchs arrive sighting first bear first hay cutting (2019—Bayfield & Ashland (2018—Duluth, MN) (2018—Bayfield, WI) (2018—Bayfield, WI) (2018—Brampton, MI) (2015—Moquah, WI) black ash leaves out Counties, WI)
Compiled by H. Panci and R. Croll, GLIFWC Staff Published by Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission, PO Box 9, Odanah, WI 54861 • 715-685-2108 • www.glifwc.org 2020 Phenology Calendar Aabita-Niibino-Giizis (July) Manoominike-Giizis (August) Half Way Through the Summer Moon Ricing Moon Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 Full Moon 1
song sparrow chicks goldenrod begins hatching watch for eaglets turkey poults blooming (2016—Washburn, WI) fledging (2019—Gurney, WI) (2016—Mellen, WI) 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 2 3 Full Moon 4 5 6 7 8
itty bitty blueberries ripe thousands of mayflies thimbleberries ripe blackberries ripe (2019—Moquah Barrens, WI) (2016—Ashland, WI) (2017—Washburn, WI) (2017—Penokee Range, WI) 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
two golden eagles (2019—Lake Superior, milkweed pods ripe watch for manoomin near Washburn, WI) (2017—Bayfield County, WI) ripening on rivers 19 20 New Moon 21 22 23 24 25 16 17 18 New Moon 19 20 21 22
second brood of bluebead lily berries bluebirds in next box ricing opened leaves turning color turn blue cattails done pollinating fledged on Kakagon Slough (maple, birch, ash) jewelweed pods ripen (2016—Odanah, WI) (2016—Marengo, WI) nighthawks migrate (2016—Odanah, WI) (2019—Drummond, WI)
26 27 28 29 30 31 23 24 ricing opened 25 26 27 28 29 on part of Kakagon Slough (2017—Odanah, WI) 30 31
blueberries & mushrooms fruiting raspberries ripen
Waatebagaa-Giizis (September) Binaakwii-Giizis (October) Leaves Changing Color Moon Falling Leaves Moon Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 Full Moon 3 4 5 1 Full Moon 2 3 hunting season opener (bobcat)
first apples harvested snowshoe hares begin snow geese leaves begin to turn color (2018—Burnett County, WI) watch for peak fall colors to turn white (2018—White River Dam, WI) 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 hunting season opener (deer, bear, pheasant, grouse, turkey)
blueberry flowers & geese start heading south light frost (32˚) deer getting winter coats first grouse harvested hummingbirds gone unripe blueberries remain first duck harvested peak fall colors (2016—Ashland, WI) (2017—Ironwood, MI) (2018—Vilas County, WI) raptors migrating (2018—Siren, WI) (2017—Mason, WI) (2015—Penokees, WI) (2018—Siren, WI) (2015—Ironwood, MI) 13 14 15 16 17 New Moon 18 19 11 12 13 14 15 16 New Moon 17 first snow dates: October 17, 2015 (Ironwood, MI) November 16, 2016 (Ironwood, MI) robins still observed (2015—Moquah, WI) record high temp (79º) October 1, 2017 (Shell Lake, WI) (2015—Cable, WI) October 31, 2017 (Ishpeming, MI) sleet first hard frost (26˚) November 3, 2017 (Saginaw, MN) (2015—Ironwood, MI) (2015—Cornucopia, WI) bumblebees still active November 12, 2017 (Brampton, MI) first polished deer antlers buck still in velvet at late-blooming flowers Ocober 11, 2018 (Siren, WI) woolly bears on the road first ski (2018—Siren, WI) (2017—Washburn, WI) ferns start to turn color (2016—Odanah, WI) tamaracks turning yellow loons leave lakes watch for first snow October 11, 2019 (Ironwood, MI) (2017—Odanah, WI) (2015—Ironwood, MI)
20 21 22 Fall Equinox 23 24 25 26 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
bucks and does together monarch butterflies grapes are ripe eating acorns migrating cranberries ripening (2015—Mason, WI) (2018—Siren, WI) 27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Full Moon bear season ends (WI & MI)
first frost (30°) snow buntings migrating (2018—Siren, WI) 66 loons on waterfowl (2015—Moquah, WI) harvested pumpkins survey first ski/snowshoe (2018—Siren, WI) all leaves on ground (2015—Ashland County, WI) (2017—Ishpeming, MI)
Gashkadino-Giizis (November) Manidoo-Giizisoons (December) Ice is Forming Moon Little Spirit Moon Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 snowy owl spotted (2015—Benoit, WI) 108 loons on waterfowl first dates of snow first white coat survey sticking: on snowshoe hare (2015—Ashland County, WI) first snowshoe October 22, 2017 (Bayfield, WI) (2017—Ishpeming, MI) first deer antlers dropped (2017—Bayfield, WI October 27, 2017 (Duluth, MN) (2017—Saginaw, MN) large flocks of swans in dragonflies still active December 5, 2017 (Brampton, MI) pickup through ice harvested bean field (61°) first temperature below 0 December 14, 2017 (Saginaw, MN) (2017—Big Grand Lake, first temperature below 0 huge thunderstorm deer in rut (2018—Polk County, WI) (2016—Iron Belt, WI) (2017—Shell Lake, WI) snow begins to stick November 7, 2018 (Siren, WI) lakes begin freezing over snow starts accumulating Saginaw, MN) (2017—Ishpeming, MI) (2017—Ironwood, MI) 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 New Moon 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
first day temperature waterfowl leaving lakes stays below 0 last sandhill cranes first snow fleas one foot of snow Elbow Lake frozen solid grouse drumming at 6 am night crawler on sidewalk (2018—Siren, WI) migrating south (2017—Ishpeming, MI) (2015—Cornucopia, WI) (2018—Burnett County, WI) (2015—Mason, WI) look for mink and otter slides (2015—Washburn, WI) 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 13 14 New Moon 15 16 17 18 19 bear season ends (MN)
first ermine with white coat first temperature below 0 first below 0 night bears entering dens (2017—Saginaw, MN) (2017—Saginaw, MN) (2016—Ironwood, MI) 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Winter Solstice
five fish houses out lake freezes rain first crusty snow last deer with antlers seen look for snow fleas (2017—Big Grand, Saginaw, MN) (2017—Baldy Lake, Brampton, MI) (2018—Odanah, WI) (2018—Brampton, MI) (2017—Brampton, MI) in the snow 29 30 Full Moon 27 28 29 Full Moon 30 31 many (not all) hunting seasons end (see regulations)
Compiled by H. Panci and R. Croll, GLIFWC Staff *Treaty harvest seasons in the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.